Rotary hoe



Feb. 9, 1932. v. F. aozEMAN ROTARY HOE Filed Feb. 13 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Feb. 9, 1932. v. F. BozEMAN ROTARY HOE Filed Feb. 13, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 1 i Wl kvzrifmr www@ WML

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Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VIRGIL F. BOZEMN, OFMOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 DEERE & COMPANY, OF MOLINE., ILLNOIS, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ROTARY HOE Application led February 13, 1928.

J ments are frequently used in the cultivation ci corn and like plants,having particular utility Jf'or breaking up crusty soil in the lirst orsecond cultivating operations.

The invention is concerned with the conl'; struct-ion of a rotary hoe ofrelatively wide span, Jfor cultivating three or more corn rows, and hastor one of its principal objects t0 provide an implcn'ient of this typewhich is characterized by a transverse flexibility, i. e.,

:lio wherein diii'erent groups of the hoe wheels can rise and fallindependently of each other :in traveling over uneven ground. Thislexibility ot decided advaiitage in implements ot wide span owing to thegreater likei.; liliood oi the dilierent wheels of such an implementencountering uneven ground. However. it within the purview of myinvention to incorporate such 'feature in implements of narrower span.

to Another object of the invention is to so ronstruct the implement thatall of the hoe wheels can hc lited oil' the ground to transportpwi'tiou, notwitlistanding the lateral tl.e1-:ibility between the hoewheels.

.J .finother object of the invention is to provide an improvedconstruction and arrangement ci udine-table supporting wheels whichserre to govern the depth of penetration of he hoc wheels. and whichalso serve to supf-ll port all. oit the hoe wheels in their transportposition, clear of the ground., when the implement is to be transportedto or `from the licld.

Other obj-.eels and advantages of the inveniear in the followingdescription oi' a prefer .ed embodiment thereof. In the drawingsillustrating .such

accompany embodiment:

llig. l is a Fragmentary plan View illusi trating the lett hand side ofthe implement.

Serial No. 253,835.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the implement, with the hoe wheelslowered to ground engaging position; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational View of the central portion ofthe implement, illustrating the hoe wheels raised to transport position.

The main .trame 6 ot' the implement comprises transversely extendingiront and rear angle bars 7 and 8 which are secured together at thecenter ot the implement by a longitudinal :trame bar 9, the latter beingbolted or otherwise secured to the horizontal flanges of the transverseframe bars 7-8, as indicated at 1l in Fig. 1. The end portions of thetransverse bars 7--8 are joined together at the sides oit' the frame bylaterally spaced pairs of' angle bars 12 and 13 which are also bolted orotherwise secured to the horizontal flanges of the angle bars 7--8. Fig.1 only illustrates the lateral frame bars 12-13 at the left hand Side ofthe implement, but it will be. understood that this arrangement oflateral frame bars is also duplicated at the right hand side of theframe. The rear ends oi the lateral trame bars are bent downwardly toform the two side portions 12 and 13 of a yoke-shaped frame structure inwhich each rear supporting wheel 14 has adjustable mounting, as I shallhereinafter describe.

The central frame bar 9 extends forwardly from the transverse frame bar7 and has a bracket 15 secured to its front end. The front portion ofthe outermost lateral frame bar 12 is bent inwardly toward the center ofthe implement, as indicated at 16, the front end of this diagonalportion being bolted to an arm extension of the bracket 15, as indicatedat 17. The front end of the inner lateral frame bar 13 is bolted orotherwise secured at 18 to a bracket 19 which is secured to the innerside of the diagonal frame bar 16. It will be noted that the diagonalframe bar portions 16 on each side ot' the implement reentorce the mainframe against lateral or twisting distortion.

lf desired, the central frame bar 9 may be connected directly to thedraft tongue 21, but I find it preferable to inter-pose a tongue llotruck 22 between the .front end of the implement and the draft tongue 21so as to avoid the downwardly tipping weight of the front end of theimplement being transmitted to the neck yoke of the team. Referring toFigs. 2 and 3, such tongue truck preferably comprises a verticalstandard 23, the lower end of which 'is secured in an inverted T-shapedbracket 24. Extending horizontally through this bracket is an axle 25 onthe outer ends of which tie two truck wheels 26 are journaled. A. collar2? is liXedly secured to the upper end of the standard 23, and extendingdownwardlj7 from this collar isa C-shaped bar 23 which has its lower endsecured to the bracket 24, as indicated at 29. Draft is transmitted tothe implement through a draft clevis 31 which is coupled at 32 to thebar 28, the latter being provided with a plurality of vertically spacedholes for receiving the coupling pin 32 in order that the point of drafthitch may be raised or lowered relative to the implement. The drafttongue 21 has a bracket secured to its rear end, which bracket ispivotally connected at34 to the upper end of the standard 23. Referringto F ig. 1, it will be seen that the pivot 34 is formed by bending theupper end of the standard 23 laterally. The bracket 33 is forked toprovide laterally spaced hub portions engaging over the pivot arm 34,the hub portions being held on the pivot arm by a collar 34 which issecured to the pivot arm etween the hubs. The bracket 15 at the forwardend of the implement frame is provided with a vertical sleeve 35 whichhas r0- tatable and slidable support on the standard 23. The front endof the implement frame is caused to move upwardly or downwardly alongthe standard 23 through the actuation of an adjusting lever 36 which ispivotally7 mounted on the central frame bar and which is adapted to havelatched engagement with a sector 37 also secured to the frame bar. Anysuitable mechanism may be employed to connect this lever with theimplement frame and with the upper end of the tongue truck, but in theconstruction shownl employ a chain 38 which is connected at one end tothe lever and at the other end to a hook or lug projecting from the rearof the collar 27. The intermediate portion of the chain passes under apulley 39 which has pivotal support between arms extending upwardly fromthe bracket 15, an d it will be evident that by moving the lever 36forwardly or rearwardly the front end of the implement frame will becaused to more downwardly or upwardly along the standard 23.

rllhe rear portion of the implement frame 6 is raised and lowered andleveled by actuation of adjusting levers 417 one of which is associatedwith each rear supporting wheel 14. Referring to Fig. 1. each wheel 14is mounted upon a pivot pin or axle 42 which extends through the lowerseparated ends of a U-shaped arm or yoke 43, the side portions of whichalford bearing support for the wheel on each side thereof. The looped orclosed end of the yoke-shaped member 43 has pivotal mounting between therear ends 12 and 13 of the lateral frame bars, on a pivot pin 44 whichpasses through alined holes in the side portions of the yoke member 43and in the upwardly extending flanges of the frame members 12 and 13.The lower end of the adjusting lever 41 has a rearwardly bent arm 41which is bolted or otherwise secured to one of the side arm portions ofthe yoke member 43, whereby forward or backward movement of theadjusting lever will'result in the yoke member 43 and wheel 14 swingingupwardly or downwardly with respect to the implement frame. Theadjusting lever 41 carries any suitable form of latching dog adapted toengage with a latching sector 46 which is secured to the adjacent framemember 13. A transversely extending brace bar 47 may be secured to theintermediate portions of the downwardly inclined frame bar extensions 12and 13', with the inner end of such brace bar inclined forwardly andupwardly for fastening to the under side of the rear frame bar 8. Itwill be understood that the rear supporting wheel 14 at the right handside of the implement frame is mounted in substantially the same manneras illustrated in Fig. 1, and is also adjustableifor raising andlowering the right hand side of the implement frame through theinstrumentality of an individual adjusting lever 41. The operators seat48 is mounted on a seat spring 49 which is secured to the centra-l framebar 9. From his position on this seat, the operator can actuate allthree adjusting l'evers'36, 41, 41 for controlling the depth ofpenetration of the hoe wheels or for raising or lowering the hoe wheelsbetween transport and operative positions. 51 designates a foot restwhich is suitably secured to the central frame bar 9.

The rotary hoes consist of wheels 52 having long pointed teeth adaptedto penetrate the soil with a rolling motion in the forward travel of theimplement. The hoe wheels a-re arranged in front and rear rows orseries, with the wheels of one series disposed in staggered or offsetrelation with respect to the wheels of the other series, as best shownin Fig. 3, it being also noted that the two series of wheels overlapeach other transversely of the implement. All of the hoe wheels at theleft hand side of the implement are carried on movable supporting meansin the nature of a sub-frame 53a, and all of the hoe wheels at the righthand side of the implement are similarly carried on like supportingmea-ns in the nature of a sub-frz me 53?). A description of thesub-frame 53a and of the mounting of the hoe wheels thereon will sufficefor the other sub-frame 58?), as the construction is duplicated at bothsides of the implement. Each sub-frame comprises transversely extendingfront and rear angle bars 54 and 55 which are cross-connected at spacedpoints by boards 56 which have their ends bolted or otherwise secured tothe horiaontal tlang'es of the angle bars 5t-55. Rigidly secured to anddepending from the opposite ends of the bars 54ek 55 are U-shaped bars57a or 57?), see Figs. 2 and These side bars support front and rearshafts 58a or 58o, each pair of front and rear shafts being individualto its respective sub-frame. The opposite ends of the shafts extendthrough holes in the depending bars 57m-57?) and have bearing support inbearing b aclets 59 which are secu-red to these depending bars. Thefrontand rear series of hoe Wheels are mounted on these front and rearshafts, each hoe wheel being rotatable on its shaft independently of theadjacent hoe wheels. As will be observed from Fig. 8, each hoe wheel isprovided with a hub which extends in both directions from the plane `ofthe wheel, the hubs of adjacent wheels contacting end to end and servingto space the wheels.

lllach sub-frame is pivot-ally supported 'on the main frame fortransverse rocking movement about a longitudinally extending pivot shaft6l which is mounted on the outer end of the main frame, preferablybetween the lat eral frame bars l2 and 13. The front and rear ends ofthe shaft 6i are carried in brackets (52 which are secured to the frontand rear bars T and 8 of the main frame. The 'iront and rear bars .5l-55of the sub-frame have pivot brackets 63 secured thereto, which pivotbrackets have pivotal mounting on the shaft lll.. The mounting of theother gang or section 53?) at 'the right hand side of the implementsubstantially the same as described and illustrated in Fig. l. It willthus be seen that a flexible relation is established between the hoewheels at opposite sides of the implement., whereby the inner and outerends of each gang or section of wheels can rise or lall independently cfthe other `gang in pas 'ng over uneven ground. The threepoint wheelsupport of the main frame also adapts the implement to uneven groundconditions. and insures that equal portions of the weight of the f 'amewill be applied to both `gangs. The forwardly extending boards affordplatform surfaces upon which weights can be placed for 'forcing theteeth of the hoe wheels into hard or crusty soil. lt should be notedthat in the construction described above the rear carrying wheels .lliare positioned substantially in longitudinal alineinent with the pivots(il about which the ho:` sections roclr vertically, and by reason ofthis positioning of sa id wheels the vertical position of thesubstantial fore and aft center of each of the hoe sections is gaugedfrom a point as close as possible to the ground directly underneath,which gives more accurate `gauging of the hoe wheels than if the rearcarrying wheels were positioned further to the right or left as in thatcase the vertical position of the substantial fore and aft center ofeach hoe section would be gauged from a point on the ground furtherremoved from the ground directly underneath.

When the implement frame is raised to transport position, throughactuation of the adjusting levers 36, l1-41, it is desirable that thetwo sub-fra1nes be held against rooking movement so as to prevent any ofthe hoe wheels from swinging downwardly and striking the road orobstructions on the ground. Such is accomplished by providing meanswhich will hold each sub-frame substantially in parallel relation to themain frame, or which will limit the rocking movement of the sub-framesrelative to the main frame. If desired, the pivot axes 61 may be locatedequidistantly from the ends of their respective sub-franies, so thateach sub-frame will be supported substantially in equilibrium, in whichevent the holding means will be of such nature as to prevent rockingmovement of the sub-frame in either direction. I nd it preferable,however, to pivotally support each sub-frame in an unbalanced relationwith one end heavier than the other, and to provide holding means whichmerely serves to prevent the heavy end of the subframe from rockingdownwardly into en gagement with the ground when the main frame liftedto t ansport position. Either end of the subframe may be arranged tohave the preponderating weight, by properly locating the pivot axis 61with reference to the ends of the sub-frame, but in the constructionshown I have illustrated this pivot axis as being disposed closer to theinner end of the sub-frame so that the outer end thereof will have thepreponderatiug weight. W'ith such arrangement, I provide a bar 65 whichis piv# otally mounted intermediate its ends at 66 on the central framebar 9. Said bar 65 can be turned to a transverse position. asillusitrated in full lines in Fig. l, in which position its two armsextend over the ends of the two sub-frames for limiting the upwardswinging movement of these ends of the subframes. By turning the bar G5substantially into parallelism with the frame bar 9, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. l, the inner ends of the sub-frames are free torise and fall through a considerable angle in permit ting the hoe wheelsto adapt themselves to uneven ground conditions. In 'this regard,attention is directed to the fact that the pivot brackets 63 areconstructed to dispose the upper sides of the sub-frame bars 54;--55 asuliicient distance below the lateral frame bars 12-13 to permit thedesired degree of rocking movement of each sub-frame. Fig. 3

illustrates the hoe wheels raised to their transport position, fromwhich it .will be seen that the transverse position of the stop barlimits the upward tilting of the inner ends of the sub-frames so thatthe latter are maintained approximately in parallelism with the mainframe 6. It will also be seen from F ig. 3 that the stagger of the frontand rear series of hoe wheels is oppositely arranged in each lateralgang or section, i. e., the innermost wheel of the left-hand gang ismounted on the rear shaft 58a. while the innermost wheel of the righthand gang is mounted on the front shaft 58?). This permits the staggerof the front and rear bearings 59 of one gang to correspond with thestagger of the same bearings of the opposite gang, whereby the innerends of the two gangs may be brought closer together without causinginterference between the gangs in their relative rocking movement.V'Vhile the drawings only illustrate the U-shaped frame bars 57a, 575 atthe extremities of the sub-frames, it will be understood that one ormore of these frame bars may be mounted on each sub-frame intermediateits ends for supporting the intermediate portions of the shafts 58a,582).

Vhile I have illustrated and described what I consider to be thepreferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that such ismerely exemplary and that numerous modifications and rearrangments maybe made therein without departing from the essence of the invention.

I claim:

l. A rotary hoe implement comprising a frame, a plurality of hoe wheelscarried by said frame and supported for vertical movement about an axisextending substantially fore and aft of said frame, and between the endsthereof, and latch means on said frame for holding said hoe wheelsagainst vertical movement in one direction relative to said frame.

2. A rotary hoe implement comprising a main frame, supporting means forsaid main frame positioned intermediate the ends of said sub-frame, aplurality of sub-frames pivotally mounted for transverse rockingmovement on said main frame, hoe wheels carried by said sub-frames,means for raising and lowering said main frame relative to saidsupporting means, and means for holding said suoi-rames in definiterelation to said main frame against movement in one direction when saidhoe wheels are raised to transport position.

3. In a rotary hoe implement, the combination of a frame, a plurality ofhoe wheels roclrably carried by said frame, and adjustable wheelsupports for the rear portion of said frame disposed in rear of theseries of hoe wheels and spaced inwardly from the outer ends of theseries of wheels.

14. In a rotary hoe implement, the combination of a main frame, a tonguetruck supporting the front portion of said frame, means for raising andlowering said frame relative to said tongue truck, a pair of laterally.spaced wheels supporting the rear portion of said frame, meansforraising and lowering said frame relative to said laterally spacedwheels, sub-frames vpivotally mounted on said main frame, and hoe wheelscarried by saidsub-frames and extending outwardly beyond the fore andaft planes of said laterally spaced wheels.

5. In a rotary hoe implement, Lthe combination of a frame comprisingtransverse frame bars, lateral frame .bars adjacent the outer ends ofand extending rearwardly beyond said transverse frame bars, adjustablewheel supports on which the rearwardly extending ends'of said lateralframe bars are mounted, the front ends of said lateral frame bars beingextended forwardly and inwardly toward the longitudinal medianplane ofthe implement, a tongue truck supporting the forward ends of saidlateral frame bars, and a plurality of hoe wheels disposed transverselyof the implement and supported by said frame. f

6. In a rotary hoe implement, the combination of a main frame, a wheelsupport for the front portion of said frame, sub-frames pivotallymounted on said main frame for transverse rocking movement, hoe -wheelscarried by said sub-frames, laterally spaced wheell supports for therear portion of said frame positioned intermediate the ends of saidsub-frames, means for raising said hoe wheels to transport position,andmeans for holding said sub-frames in substantially definite relationto said main frame against movement in one direction when the hoe wheelsare thus raised.

7. A rotary hoe implement comprising a main frame, front and rear wheelsupports for said main frame, means for raising and lowering said framerelative to said wheel supports, a pair of sub-frames each pivotallyconnected intermediate its ends to said main frame, hoe wheels carriedby each of said sub-frames, each of said sub-frames having one endofpreponderating weight tending to swing downwardly when said main frameis raised to transport position, and means carried by said main framefor holding the latter ends of said sub-frames againstswingingdownwardly when said main frame is thus raised.

8. In a rotary hoe implement, the combination of a frame comprisingtransversely extending frame bars, a pair of lateral frame bars at eachside of said frame and extending rearwardly from said transverse bars,U-shaped members pivotally supported between each pair of lateral framebars, a supporting vwheel pivotally mounted between the side portions ofeach oit` said U-shaped members, adjusting levers connected to saidU-shaped members for swinging the latter relative to said lateral tramebars and thereby raising,i or lowering said trame, longitudinallye'tendino' trame bars carried by said transv ,e bars. ut and rearshaitts carried by said longitudinally extending trame bars, and hoeWheels mounted on said shafts.

rl. rotary hoe implement comprising` a main trame, supporting wheelstherefor, a plurality ot sub-trames flexibly connected together, hoeWheels carried by said sub-trames, means for raising and lowering saidsubitrames relatively to said supporting Wheels, and rotating' meansoperable to secure said sub-trames against relative movement in onedirection when they are in raised position.

l0. it rotary hoe implement comprising a main trame, a plurality oitsub-'frames flexibly connected together, hoe Wheels carried by saidsub-trames, and operable means mounted on said main trame to secure saidsub-frames against relative movement in one direction.

ll. il rotary hoe implement comprising a main iframe, sub-trames carriedby said main trame, a plurality ot hoe wheels carried by each of saidsub-frames for vertical movement about an aXis extending substantiallytore and att oit' said trames, and optionally operable means mounted onthe main trame 'for holding; said hoe Wheels against vertical `movementrelative to said main frame in one direction.

l2. A rotary hoe implement comprising a plurality ot trames flexiblyconnected together tor rocking` movement about transversely spaced axes,hoe Wheels carried by said vinfames, and means adapted to contact withthe inner ends ot said sub-trames and operable to secure said tramesagainst relative movement in one direction.

13. A rotary hoe implement comprising a plurality et trames flexiblyconnected to- `ether at transversely spaced points, hoe 'Wheels carriedby said trames, and means located intermediate said transversely spaced.points optionally operable to secure said :trames against relativemovement in one direction.

lll. A rotary hoe implement comprising' a main trame. laterally spacedpivot shafts mounted on said main frame, a sub-trame pivotally mountedon each oit said shafts, hoe ivheels carried by said sub-trames, andlaterally spaced supporting` Wheels tor the rear portion oit said maintrame, said supporting wheels beine; positioned substantially in lonksitiulimil alinement with said pivot shafts.

A rotary hoe implement comprisng a main frame.` a Wheel support for thetrout portion oiE said trame, laterally spaced pivot shafts mounted onsaid main frame, a sublrame pivotally mounted on each ot' said shafts torock thereabout, hoe Wheels carried by said sub-trames, laterally spacedsupporting Wheels tor the rear portion of said main trame, saidsupporting Wheels being positioned substantially in longitudinalalinement with respect to said pivot shatts, and optionally operablemeans for preventingroclring ot said sub-trames on said pivot shafts inone direction.

lo. A rotary hoe implement comprising a main trame, a Wheel support forthe front portion ot said traine, laterally spaced pivot shafts mountedon said main trame, a sube pivotally mounted on each ot' said shat'ts torock thereabout, hoe Wheels carried by said sub-trames, and Wheelsupports for the rear portion ot said main trame disposed in rear otsaid sub-trames and spaced inwardly trom the outer ends ot' andsubstantially in longitudinal alinement with the pivot of saidsub-iframes.

l?. A rotary hoe implement comprising` a main trame, supporting- Wheelstherefor, a single sub-iframe pivotally mounted on each side ot saidframe adjacent the outer end thereof and extending` from the substantialfore and att median plane ot the implementbeyond the outer extremitythereof, shafts extending entirely across said sub-iframes, and hoeWheels `rotatably mounted on said shafts.

i8. A rotary hoe implement comprising` a main trame, and a plurality otsub-trames each comprising transverse bars extending from thelongitudinal medium line of the harroW beyond the outer end portionthereolE and pivotally connected With said main trame, end barsconnecting said transverse bars, rigid hoe Wheel shafts extending fromone end bar to the other and secured thereto.

19. In a rotary hoe implement the combination ot a main trame,supporting means for said trame, a plurality oli sub-frames positionedin the horizontal plane ot the main trame and pivotally connectedtherewith, and a plurality of hoe Wheels carried by each ot saidsub-trames.

20. In a rotary hoe implement, the combination ot' a main trame,supporting means for said trame, a plurality of sub-trames positioned inthe horizontal plane ot' the main frame and pivote-,ily connectedtherewith, a plurality of hoe Wheels carried by each oi said sub-trames,and latch means ou the main trame cooperating' with said sub-trames torholding them against movement in one direction.

2l. A rotary hoe implement comprising a main frame, a plurality ofsub-trames pivotally mounted for transverse rocking` movement on saidmain trame and hoe Wheels pivotally mounted in sub-trames, the pivotalaxis ot' said sub-trames lying above the pivotal axis ot said hoeWheels.

22. ln a rotary hoe implement, the combination ot a main frame, aplurality of subframes pivotally connected with said main frame, and aplurality of hoe Wheels carried by each of said sub-frames, the pivotconnections of said sub-frames lying substantially in the horizontalplane of the main frame.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day ofFebruary, 1928.

VIRGIL F. BOZEMAN.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. i,844,560. Granted February 9, 1932, to

VIRGIL F. BOZEMAN.

it is hereby eertified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring eorreetion as follows: Page 4,lines 47 to 49, eiaim 2, strike out the words "supporting means for saidmain frame positioned intermediate the ends of said sub-frame" andinsert before "means" in line 52, same claim, supporting means for saidmain frame positioned intermediate the ends of said sab-frames; and thatthe said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the case in the PatentOffice.

Signed and sealed this '29th day of March, A. D. 1932.

M. j. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

